Casket



Feb. '5, 1935. P. R. ZINSER ET AL 1,939,962.

CASKET Filed Nov. 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR) m) M155 F /1 Jam- A TTORNEYS Feb. 5, 1935.

- 'Paul 7? ZI'nScr INVENTORS and lilz'son Ffi. 150 x1- ATTORNEY-j Patented Feb. 5,

' UNITED STATES PATE-NTO'FFICE.

'- A t I sapscz Paul a. Zlnser nndml'. n. smene'mu.

samaearwem 9Claims.

expensive and of durable construction. We aim to produce a casket by utilizing a material which lends itself readily to artistic decoration and which is comparatively cheap in price and also possesses to a high degree the characteristic of being water-proof and resistant to decomposition under the influence of water.

It is an object of our invention to so arrange and put together the component parts of our improved casket as to utilize material of this kind to the best advantage in a casket of what might be termed the composite type which is simple to build and which may, if desired, be soldin a knocked-down condition so that it may beassembled when desired for use.

Further objects and meritorious features of our invention will become apparent from the following description and accompany n drawings.

wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures and wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective of our improved casket structure, partially broken away for the purpose of clear-mess,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the closed casket,

Fig. 3 illustrates two sections taken transversely through the casket, the right half of the figure illustrating a section through the central reinforcing plate on the top and the left half of the figure being a section to one side of said reinforcing member, and

' Fig. 4 is a sectional plan through one of our corner post assemblies. 1

The casket here shown is of the composite type wherein we provide a base portion, indicated generally as 10, having a closure lid 12. The base consists of a bottom 14, side walls 16, and end walls 18. which may be formed of wood.

As an outer decorative covering for the casket we provide separate panels adapted to' overlie each side and end wall. These panels are preferably formed of a thermo-plastic material such as com- I position flber board carrying a substantial asphaltum content which permits the board being molded into shape. The thermo-plastic material is also of such a character that not only is it readily molded into desired shape and designbut it lends itself easily to decoration whereby its outer surface may be given any suitable desired decorative finish. Each outer panel member herein indicated as 20 has an outer surface which is suit able for decoration and-these panel members are adapted to cover the side and end walls of the casket. The panel element is so shaped that its intermediate portion 24 is adapted to rest directly against the interior wall structure. It has upper and lower margins which are bent outwardly as 5 at 26 and 28 respectively and then angularly as at 30 and 32 respectively to rest upon a reinforcing spacer element 34 at the top margin and a similar element 36 at the bottom margin.

A unitary channel metal frame 38 encircles the top margin of the panel and wall assembly as will particularly appear in Fig. 3. This frame 38 has an outer flange and an inner flange. The panel is morticed on its upper margin within the outer flange and the assembly is held together by the twoflange's.

There is also a unitary metal frame 40 which is angular in cross section being provided with a flange 42 and which encircles the lower margin of the panel and wall assembly. This frame structure holds the assembly together and the outer panel is morticedinsideof the flange 42. Screws 44 extend through the frame 40 engaging the spacer element 36 and the side wall of the casket respectively fastening the frame member in place. These screws are countersimk in the frame. The upper frame element is secured in place-by countersunk screws 46.

Each corner of the base unit 10 is provided with a reinforcing corner post element 48 which may be of metal or other similar material. The construction of this will appear from Figs. 1 and 4. These elements may be held in place at the ends by the flanges of the top and bottom frames 38 and 40.

The cover or lid for our casket is not required to withstand any great strain and it is formed as here shown of a large sheet of the molded themeplastic'material which is shaped into the contour here illustrated. It is supported upon a rigid rectangular frame 50 and is clamped and secured to said frame by a channel shaped metal binder 52. Screws 54 are used to secure this channel binder in place- The thermo-plastic material which forms the top cover is indicated as 55 andwhile it is substantially sufliciently rigid to serve the purpose intended, we prefer to reinforce it with the rigid top wall member 56 which may be shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3. I

"If'desired, an ornamental placque or the like i them artistic.

fiomaybesecuredtothe flatupper surface of the lid by screws 62.

It will appear, therefore, that the exposed outer surfaces of our casket are composed of the thermo-plastic panel material which may be molded into the desired contour and design to render 7 This material also possesses the water-proofing characteristics which render it suitable as a durable protective outer covering for a structure of this type. The entire assembly is held together to form a rigid unit by the wall structure we provide and the unitary top and bottom frames which secure the panel and wall assembly together.

Various modifications of the structure illustra ed will be apparent to those skilled in the art and for that reason we intend to limit ourselves only within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim:

1. A casket comprising, in combination, side and end walls and a bottom, an outer panel of molded thermo-plastic material secured as an outer covering to each side and end wall, and a con: tinuous channel frame encircling the top margins of said side and end walls and panels with the side walls of the channel frame engaging the opposite sides of said assembly and a continuous angular frame encircling the bottom margins of said walls and panels and having its side flange holding said panels toward said walls.

2. A casket comprising, in combination, side and end walls and a bottom, an outer panel of thermo-plastic waterproof material secured as outer covering to each side and end wall, a reinorcing spacer element arranged between each side wall and its panel at the top margin. thereof, a unitary channel frame encircling the top margin of said assembly of walls and panels with the side flanges of said channel frame engaging opposite sides of said assembly, a unitary angular frame encircling the bottom margin of said assembly of walls and panels with the flange thereof engaging and holding said panels toward said walls.

3. A casket structure having a side wall, a reinforcing spacer element arranged along its outer top margin, a reinforcing spacer element arranged along its outer-bottom margin, a covering panelof thermo-plastic material secured over its outer surface and shaped so that its upper and lower margins rest against said spacer elements and its interior central portion rests directly,

against the said side wall.

4. The combination in a structure of the class described of side walls, reinforcing members extending the length thereof, and an outer covering material secured in firm juxtaposition thereto by a single member extending the length of said walls and having continuous flanges turned over opposite sides of said walls and reinforcing members.

5. A casket comprising, in combination, a rigid I frame structure including side walls and reinforcing members extending around the outside of the upper and lower extremities of said walls, and anouter covering of molded thermo-plastic fibrous material secured firmly along the outer edges of ate their upper and lower extremities, that portion of said outer covering lying adjacent the side walls being positively positioned with respect thereto.

'7. A casket comprising, in combination, a rigid bottom unit, rigid side and'end walls secured to said bottom, a reinforcing element of substantial thickness extending along the top and bottom of said walls, and a covering of molded thermo-plastic material extending around said walls, said covering being positively positioned along the outer faces of said reinforcing elements and extending inwardly therebetween to lie against the walls along a substantial portion of their height.

8. A casket comprising, in combination, a rigid bottom unit, rigid side and end walls-secured to said bottom, a reinforcing element of substantial thickness extending along the top and bottom of said walls, and a covering of molded thermoplastic material extending around said walls, said covering being positively positioned along the outer faces of said reinforcing elements and extending inwardly therebetween to lie against the walls along a substantial portion of their height, the positioning meanstherefor comprising an angular member secured to the bottom and top respectively of the lower and upper reinforcing members.

9. A casket having side walls, end walls, and a bottom, said side and end walls having reinforced upper and lower marginal portions, a thermoplastic panel covering each wall portion and having marginal portions seated against the reinforced marginal portions of the'side wall and an intermediate wall portion seated against said side wall between said marginal portions, a channel member seated over each side wall and its covering panel securing the same together, an angle member extending along each edge of the bottom and having a flange extending upwardly over the outer panel holding the same in position.

PAUL R. ZINSER. mason F. H. soon. 

